What should I consider?

Our Dementia Friends Champions are the volunteers who are leading the Dementia Friends initiative, helping other people to understand a little bit more about what it's like to live with dementia and the small things that can make a difference to people with dementia living in their communities.

While we actively welcome applications, we understand that being a Dementia Friends Champion is not a role that everyone is able to take on. Before you register as a Dementia Friends Champion and sign up to the Champions induction, please take a few minutes to consider if you meet the following criteria.

Are you 16 or over and do you live in England, Wales, Guernsey or the Isle of Man?

Are you interested in helping to spread the word about Dementia Friends?

Do you have the time to commit to taking a day-long induction and then to run Friends Information Sessions in your community?

Could you contribute to Dementia Friends by sharing stories about your Friends' Information Sessions and what is working well?

If you have answered yes to all, or most of, the above then you could make a great Dementia Friends Champion. But before you register you should also understand what a Dementia Friends Champion is not. While we expect most people who attend one of our Dementia Friends Champions induction courses to go on to be a successful Champion, the role is not for everyone.

A Dementia Friends Champion is not:

an expert in dementia or dementia care

a replacement for skilled, trained people such as nurses or care assistants

someone who goes into people's homes or provides care to people with dementia outside their existing relationships

a ‘befriender' of people living with dementia

someone who has had a criminal record check in order to become a Dementia Friends Champion (although some may have them already)

an Alzheimer's Society volunteer (although some Dementia Friends Champions may choose to become one or be one already)

an Alzheimer's Society contractor or representative.

If you have decided that being a Dementia Friends Champion is not for you at the moment, you can register now to become a Dementia Friend and register as a Dementia Friends Champion at a later point, if you wish.